Latch.



Iz. GROMPTON, JR.

LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 12, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915. j@

I 7, I l.,

Inventor;

Attorneys.

, THE NORRIS FE-TERS CU.. PHnm-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. t;

ED sTATEs PATENT orricn.

EDWIN CROMPTON, JR., OF PUEBLO, COLORADO', ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANCES MONTGOMERY SIMPSON AND ONE-HALF '1.0v EJA LAW SNYDER, :BOTHA OF PUEBLO,

COLORADO.

LATCH.

Application filed June 12, 1914i. Serial No.8,44,747.

TQ all/whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN CRoMrToN, Jr., a citizen ofthe United States, reslding at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and'State of Colorado, have invented a new and use ful Latch, of which the following is a speelication.

The present invention appertains to. door latches or catches, and aims to provide a novel fand improved Adevice of that nature.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a catch device, of unique construction, and operable to hold a door, or the like, in closed position, but enabling the door to be readily pushed open.

Another objectofthe present invention is to provide a door catch or latch, of novel construction, and having` combined there' with, means for preventing the catch or latch from being released'when engaged by the keeper or striking plate.

Itis also withinthe scope ofthe present invention, to provide adevice of the nature specified, which will be comparatively simple, nonencumbering, and inexpensive in construction, Whichomay bereadily applied to the free edge ofadoor, and which will be convenient, practical, and efficient 1n its use.

With the Vforegoing andoth'er objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of'parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 -is a vertical section taken through the improved latch device, the sectionbeing taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view looking toward the free edge of the door and illustrating the latch device, this view being taken on the line .2*2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the keeper or strike plate. Y

The present device embodies a face plate 1 adapted to be Secured to the free edge of a door 2, by means of screws or other securing, members 3 passed through apertures provided in the upper and lower end portions ofthe face door. The frameV of the device further includes a pair of cheekor side plates 4 and 5, which may be secured rigidly to the edge potions ofthe plate l adjacent its upper en In applying the frame to the door 2, the

and secured to the corresponding side or face of the door.

The face plate 1 is provided with a verti@ cal slot or elongated opening 7, the upper end of'which is rounded, and the lower end ofwhich is square. opening or slot 7 is mouth ofthe recess 6, and the said opening or slot`7 extends downwardly below the bottom of theA saidrecess to al point adjacent the lower end of the face plate 1.

The latch or catch proper is in the form of a fiat or leaf spring 8 disposed within the slot or opening 7 of the 4face plate and having its lower end secured to the inner side of the lower end portion of the face plate by means of rivets orr other securing members 9, the lower screw 3 also being The upper end of the passed through the lower end of the leaf plate 1 and taking into theV disposed adjacent the- Patented Mar. 23,1915. Y

spring 8, to clamp the lower end of the leaf spring against the door 2 with the lower end of the face plate. To enable the spring 8 to flex inwardly, the free edge of the door is provided with a shallow tapered recess 6a forming an extension leading from the recess 6 in back of the leaf spring 8whereby the upper end of the leaf spring may flex mwardly.

The upper or free end of the leaf spring 8 is provided with a semi-spherical or rounded knob 10 bulged or struck outwardly therefrom and normally projecting beyond the face plate 1. The knob l0 is disposed snugly within the upper end of the slot or opening 7 of the face plate, and is adapted to be sprung or pressed inwardly into the recess 6.

The keeper or striking plate 11, which is secured to the jamb 12 of the door frame or casing, is provided with a dished or inwardly bulged portion 13 providing a socket for receiving the knob 10, and one edge of the keeper or striking plate 11 is provided .with an instruck curved lip 141 for facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the knob 10 with and from the keeper or striking plate.

As a means for locking the knob 10 of the latch or catch in projected or normal position, a spindle 15 is journaled through the cheek or side plates t and 5 adjacent their lower edges, and adjacent the bottom of the recess 6, and is provided beyond the cheek or side plate 5 with a knob or thumb piece 16. The spindle 15 is provided between the plates l and 5, with a radial finger 17, the tip or free end of which is adapted to be swung into the dished or bulged knob 10, the finger 17 being of sufficient length in order that its free end will snap past the upper end of the leaf spring 8 as the finger 17 is swung into and out of engagement with the latch or catch.

After the present device has been applied, which may be readily accomplished, and when the spindle 15 is turned to bring the finger 17 to idle or inoperative position, as seen in full lines in Fig. 1, the door 2 may be readily pushed open and closed without difficulty. When the door is closed, the knob 10 moving over the lip 14 of the keeper or striking plate, will press the knob 10 back into the recess 6, and the knob will then be projected within the socket 13 of the keeper or striking plate under the tension or influence of the spring 8, to hold the door yieldably closed. Thus, when pressure is applied to the door, the same will readily open, inasmuch as the knob 10 will be forced back into the recess 6, to become released from the keeper or striking plate 11. Thus, when the locking linger 17 is released from the catch or latch 8, the door may be readily swung to closed and open positions, without diiiiculty, and wheny closed, will be held in such position, without being blown open by a gust of wind, or the like.

To lock the door in closed position, it is merely necessary to turn the spindle 15, through the medium of the thumb piece 16, so as to swing the free end of the linger 17 within the dished knob 10, to thereby prevent the knob from being sprung into or retracted within the recess 6. This will prevent the door from being opened, until the linger 17 is swung out of engagement with the latch or catch. The free end of the finger 17 is preferably arranged to snap past the upper end of the latch or catch, to prevent the accidental disengagement of the linger 17 from the latch or catch, when the latch or catch is locked in projected position.

The present device vmay be inexpensively manufactured, the same being comparatively simple, and may be applied to a door without difficulty. The other advantages will be obvious from the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, without further comment being deemed necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is ln a device of the character described, a face plate having a slot therein, a leaf spring disposed within the said slot and having one end secured to the face plate adjacent one end of the slot, the leaf spring having an outwardly bulged knob at its free end, and a rotatable spindle having a linger engageable within the said knob to hold it in projected position.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN CROMPTON, JR. Witnesses:

EDWARD BIERMAN, FRANKl MoDoNALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

